Method of feeding subdivided solids



Oct. 14, 1952 H. J. OGORZALY ETAL 2,513,332

METHOD OF FEEDING SUBDIVIDED SOLIDS Filed Aug. 8, 1947 mam GAS L5 -5omo CHAQGE HOPPEQ I Flow 31.0w

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"HQ'Lr'g J. Oqorzah {bnventcrs Walt r A. e

5 $3 7W (Internets Patented Oct. 14, 1952 METHOD OF FEEDING SUBDIVIDED SOLIDS Henry J. Ogorzaly, Summit, and Walter A. Rex,

Westfield, N. J assignors to Standard Oil Development Company, a corporation of Delaware- Application August 8, 1947, Serial No. 767,422

4' Claims. (01. 214-152) The present invention relates to the handling I to pressurized treating zones of this type has been of subdivided solids and, more particularly, to a method for feeding subdivided solids from a zone of relatively low pressure to a zone of relatively high pressure wherein the subdivided solidis con- 5 ized solids between zones maintained at different tacted with a fluid material such as a gas or liquid. pressures. The aerated standpipe consists of a Prior to the present invention subdivided solids relatively high column of the subdivided solids have been introduced from an accumulatorzone maintained in the form of a readily flowing, into treating zones operated at elevated pressures dense, fluidized mass by the injection of. small by using elongated legs of solids sufficiently high amounts of an aerating gas into one or more so that the weight per'unit area of the column of places distributed overits length. The fluidized solids in the leg is greater than the pressure differsolids column exerts a pseudo-hydrostatic presential between the two zones. The solids leg sure on its base as a function of the height of the empties into an accumulation of subdivided solids column and the apparent density of the fluidized in the treating zone so t at the solids leg and the mass. The flow of fluidized solids from the standsolids accumulation within the treating zone form pipe is controlled by a bottom control 'valve and acontinuous body of solids. Solids from the leg the solids may be fed from the bottom of the flow into the solids mass in the treating zone at standpipe to any treating zone, maintained at a the same rate at which solids are withdrawn from pr u e lower than t e Pseudo-hydrostatic P said solids mass. When the solids leg is of suitsure of the aerated solids column on the control able height, cross section and compactness so as valve. Alternatively, the bottom control valve to offer great resistance to gas flow, gases may be may be disp With, in Wloioh ease the P passed through the solids mass in the treating hydrostatic pressure developed by the aerated Zone at an elevated pressure without escaping solids column is equal to the differential pressure hrough the leg in appreciable amounts. Treatbetween the accumulator zone and the treating ing gas losses through the leg may b completely Zone and the influx of solids into the treating eliminated by maintaining a blanket of inert gas zone, maintained with constant level, is governed around the lower end of the solids leg at a slightly y therete of s l s addition o the ac u u ato higher pressure than the pressure of the treating ZoIleas so that any gas escaping through the leg will s e sm operation f ed dp pes beinert gas. pends mainly on proper and uniform fiuidization Systems of this type have utility in most cases of the solids over theentire length of the aerated involving the maintenance, within a treating zone, ooillmnrwhioh may be eeoomplishedes g s a of ,a relatively compact moving mass of solids pr u r p r foot f p p t, which which serves as a seal for the solids feed leg and is equal o h Weight of solids contained p fo whose motion may be used to control the solids 0f standpipe height, can be maintained, without flow from the leg. Their most common applibridg g of the solids column and resulting irregcation lies in the field of catalytic hydrocarbon ularity of flow. This condition may be-readily. conversion reactions such as catalytic cracking, complied With in h ease of subdivided solids polymerization, reforming, and other refining 0 having an average particle size ofless than, say, treatments of hydrocarbons in the presence of about /4 o (a millimeter- As e p c e size relatively compact moving catalyst b d increases, fluidization tends to become irregular, ever, in the absence of a compact solids mass as a result of p g d slugging, and With serving as a fiow control means for the solids leg, l ge p r i l s smooth fluidization is, inta t, this system is inoperative. Therefore, it cannot impossible for ong narrow columns. Consebe applied to processes in which the treating zone, q wi e s v l e particles u canv operated'at an; elevated pressure, contains the not e made of the pseudo-hydrostatic pressure subdivided solids suspended in gases or liquids or veloped by the flu diz or a on p op es in the form of so-called fluidized solids beds in of correctly sized particles f r v o in e which the subdivided solids are maintained by an pressure differential between zones. upwardly flowing gas as a highly turbulent, rela- These phenomena become particularly troubletively dense mass resembling a boiling liquid in some at particle sizes of above about in., such as appearance and hydro-static and -dynamic charare normally employed in the carbonization and/ acteri$tic5 I orgasification of carbonaceous solids such as coal, The problem of feeding finely subdivided solids. lignites shale, etc, employing the fluid solids solved in recent years by the development of the so-called aerated tandpipe, which has become the most valuable tool in conveying so-called fluid,-

place.

tional advantages as will become apparent from I the following detailed description thereof.

In accordance with the present invention,

coarse solids having a particle size above the ranges suitable for proper aeration in columnar form are supplied from a zone of relatively low pressure to a fiuidizedzone of relatively higher pressure by means of" an elongated vertical column of non-fluidized solids sufficiently high to establish agas flow resistance over its height, which at least equals the pressure differential between said low and high pressure zones. The rate of flow of solids from the bottom of the column into the high pressure fluidized zone is determined by a controlled flow restriction such as a conventained below the level of incipient slugging, the pressure and sealing effect of the inert gas may be increased practically at will by merely increasing its feed rate, without requiring an increase incolumn height, since losses of inert gas through the solids column are of no consequence to the operation of the process.

The necessary height of the solids column, which depends chiefly on the pressure differential between the high and low pressure zones and the apparent specific gravity and particle size of the solids within the column, may vary within wide limits. It may be stated as an example, however, that for solids having average particle sizes of about to A in. and apparent bulk densities of about 40 to 100 lbs. per cu. ft. we have found 1 that for each pound per square inch pressure tional solid metering means arranged in the base of the column. An inert gas is introduced into the base of the column; above the metering device, at such a rate as to maintain, at the point of inert gas i jection, a pressure at least equal to but preferably slightly higher than, that existing inthe high pressure zone. This inert gas pres'sureis maintained as a result of the pressure drop required to force the inert gas upthrough the column of non-fluidized coarse solids.

It will-be readily understood that with the arrangement of the invention, operation of the solids metering device-permits the charging of the coarse solids into the high pressure zone at any desired rate, even i f'the high pressure zone contains a liquid, a dilute solids-in-gas suspension, or a fluidized solidsmass. The solids. flow inand from the column is merely a function of gravity combined with the effect of the metering device, and thus is not dependent on fluidization within the column. The column must be sufficiently high so thatthe pressure drop per unit length required to balance the differential pres sure between the two zones isless than the weight of solids contained in the unit length so that lift ing of the solids column will not occur. Leakage of fluid from the treating zone into the solids feed'column is prevented by the back-pressure of theinert gas, -'This back-pressure may be even high enough-to cause a flow of inert gas into the treating zone at a rate which can be readily controlled by the'magnitude of the pressure differ ential imposed across the solids metering device. The leakageof inert gas into the high pressure zone may thus be readily kept at a negligiblelevel. Metering devices suitable for the purposes of the invention include star feeders, slide valves, rota-ting tables, non-ycompressionscrews, etc.

The solids flow through and from the column is a function chiefly of the operation of the metering device while the sealing effect of theinert gas depends on the gas flow resistance of the column. The absolute weight of the solids column onits base it, therefore, ofsecondary importance as is the diameter of the column. Subject to the limitation previously mentioned, that the pressure drop per unit of column height must be maindifferential between the high and low pressure zones, the provision of from 1 to 3 ft. of column height results in satisfactory operation. The amount of inert gas such as air or steam introduced to prevent leakage of gas from the treating zone into the solids column which we find to be satisfactory is such as to result in a superficial velocity, neglecting the volume occupied by the solid, of one to twofeet per second, measured at the conditions of operation. a

For example, if it is desired to feed '7,000 tons per day of an oil shale ground to pass through a A; in. screen and having an apparent density of about 78 pounds per cu. ft, from a feed hopper at atmospheric pressure to a distillation zone maintained at about 15 pounds per sq. in. gauge pressure, a shale column 32 ft. high and 24 in. wide, in combination with about 200 to 250 standard cu. ft. per minute of air injected into the base of the column will be sufficient for the purposes of the invention.

Havin described its objects and general nature, the invention will be best understood from the following more detailed description wherein reference will be made to the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is a schematic illustration of a system suitable to carry out a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, the system illustrated therein essentially comprises asolids feed hopper 5, a feed standpipe and a treating zone E5, the functions and cooperation of which will be presently described using the carbonizationof coal. as a specific example. It should be undermay be applied in a generally analogous manner for other purposes involving the feed of coarse solids to a treating zone operated at an elevated pressure.

In operation, feed hopper 5 may be at atmospheric pressure and treating zone l5 maintained at any desired elevated pressure of, say, about 15 lbs. per sq. in., anda carbonization temperature of about 800-1500 F. Treating zone l5 may contain a dense, turbulent, ebullient mass M of subdivided coal fluidized by-=a carbonizing gas such as superheated steam, if desired admixed with oxygen, supplied through line II, to form a well defined upper level L15, in a manner known per se in the art of fluid coal carbonization; The well known details of this type of fluid operation do not form a part of the present invention and resistance to the flow of solids from standpipe 1 into treating zone 15.

Fresh coal having an average particle size of about 16 mesh is supplied by any conventional means such as a screw conveyor, bucket elevator, or the like (not shown) through line I to feed hopper 5, the discharge end of which is in open connection with the upper end of feed standpipe l. A solids metering device such as a rotating table valve 1 9 is provided in the lower portion of standpipe 1. At the pressures indicated, the height of the coal column from level L5 in hopper 5 to flow control device 9 should be about to 40 ft. Under the influence of gravity, coal fiows through valve 9 into treating zone l5 at a rate controlled by valve 9.

In order to prevent the escape of process gas from treating zone 15 through standpipe I, an inert sealing gas such as air, steam, flue gas, or the like is introduced through line 3 into the base of standpipe I at a point above valve 9. The feed rate of the sealing gas is preferably so controlled that its pressure at its point of introduction eX- ceeds slightly the pressure Within zone 15. Thus, at the pressure conditions of the present example, the sealing gas pressure immediately above valve 9 may be about 16 lbs. per sq. in., which may be.

maintained by a sealing gas feed rate of about 200 to 300 standard cu. ft. per minute. When so operating, practically the total amount of sealing gas will eventually escape upwardly through standpipe T and feed hopper 5 to be vented from the latter. As a result of the small pressure dif-- ferential between the point of inert gasinjection in standpipc 1 and treating zone l5 and the restriction to gas flow represented by valve 9, only a negligible proportion of the sealing gas, say about 5%, will enter zone I5 through valve 9. The escape of gas from zone [5 into standpipe 1 is made impossible by the higher pressure above valve 9.

Returning now to zone IS, a mixture of volatile carbonization products containing suspended coal fines may be withdrawn overhead from level L15 and, passed through a conventional gas-solids separator ll. Separated coal fines may be returned to mass M through pipe 19 while volatile carbonization products now substantially free of entrained solids may be passed through line 2| to a conventional product recovery system (not shown). Spent solids, such as coke, may be withdrawn from mass M in any suitable manner, for example by way of a bottom drawoff line 23 provided with a control valve 25.

As noted above, the system of the drawing may be applied to any operations other than coal carbonization which involve the supply of coarse solids from a low pressure zone to a high pressure zone. For example, oil shale may be used in place of coal substantially as described. Zone 15 may be operated as a water gas or producer gas generating zone by raisin its temperature above 1500 F. and supplying suitable amounts of a gasifying medium such as steam, CO2, air, and/ or oxygen through line I l. Coke may be used as a charge material in the latter case. The sys- 1 See Pebble HeaterNew Heat Transfer Unit for Industry, Chem. and Met. Eng, July 1946, pp. 116- 119, particularly p. 117.

concentrating valuable gases on adsorbent media,

etc. in a generally analogous manner.

While the foregoing description and examplary operations have served to illustrate specific applications and results of our invention, other modifications obvious to those skilled in the art are within the scope of the invention. Only such limitations should be imposed on the invention as are indicated in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In the method of feeding coarsely subdivided solids from a zone of relatively low pressure to a zone of relatively higher pressure wherein no substantial resistance is interposed within said zone of higher pressure against the influx of the solids, the improvement which comprises maintaining a, vertical non-fluidized column of said coarse solids having a particle size between about T 5 and /2 inch diameter within a closed path conimunicating with the two zones, supplying solids to an upper portion of said column at said relatively low pressure, feeding solids from-the base of said column by gravity into said high pressure zone, restricting the free flow of solids in a, controlled manner at a point in said base so as to control the rate of flow of said solids into said high pressure zone, introducing a gas into the base of said column at a point immediately above said point of restriction at a rate such that the pressure drop of said gas per unit length of said column in rising through said column is below the bulk density of said solids in said column, said bulk density being of the order of 40100 lbs. per cu. ft., and controlling the height of said column within the range of about 1-3 ft. for each pound per square inch pressure differential between said low pressure and high pressure zones and the amount of said gas in such a manner that as a result of the gas flow resistance of said column said gas at its point of introduction into said base is at a pressure at least equalling said higher pressure. 7

2. The method of claim 1 in which the pressure of said gas at its point of introduction is sufficiently above said higher pressure to cause leakage of said gas into-said high pressure zone.

3. The method of claim 1 in which said free solids flow is restricted by mechanical flow control means.

4. The method of claim 1 in which said high pressure zone contains a turbulent mass of finely divided solids fluidized by an upwardly flowing UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,913,968 Winkler June 13, 1933 2,411,996 Kassel Dec. 3, 1946 2,495,152

Voorhees Jan. 17. 1950 

1. IN THE METHOD OF FEEDING COARSELY SUBDIVIDED SOLIDS FROM A ZONE OF RELATIVELY LOW PRESSURE TO A ZONE OF RELATIVELY HIGHER PRESSURE WHEREIN NO SUBSTANTIAL RESISTANCE IS INTERPOSED WITHIN SAID ZONE OF HIGHER PRESSURE AGAINST THE INFLUX OF THE SOLIDS, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES MAINTAINING A VERTICAL NON-FLUIDIZED COLUMN OF SAID COARSE SOLIDS HAVING A PARTICLE SIZE BETWEEN ABOUT 1/ 10 AND 1/2 INCH DIAMETER WITHIN A CLOSED PATH COMMUNICATING WITH THE TWO ZONES, SUPPLYING SOLIDS TO AN UPPER PORTION OF SAID COLUMN AT SAID RELATIVELY LOW PRESSURE, FEEDING SOLIDS FROM THE BASE OF SAID COLUMN BY GRAVITY INTO SAID HIGH PRESSURE ZONE, RESTRICTING THE FREE FLOW OF SOLIDS IN A CONTROLLED MANNER AT A POINT IN SAID BASE SO AS TO CONTROL THE RATE OF FLOW OF SAID SOLIDS INTO SAID HIGH PRESSURE ZONE, INTRODUCING A GAS INTO THE BASE OF SAID COLUMN AT A POINT IMMEDIATELY ABOVE SAID POINT OF RESTRICTION AT A RATE SUCH THAT THE PRESSURE DROP OF SAID GAS PER UNIT LENGTH OF SAID COLUMN IN RISING THROUGH SAID COLUMN IS BELOW THE BULK DENSITY OF SAID SOLIDS IN SAID COLUMN, SAID BULK DENSITY BEING OF THE ORDER OF 40-100 LBS. PER CU. FT., AND CONTROLLING THE HEIGHT OF SAID COLUMN WITHIN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 1-3 FT. FOR EACH POUND PER SQUARE INCH PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN SAID LOW PRESSURE AND HIGH PRESSURE ZONES AND THE AMOUNT OF SAID GAS IN SUCH A MANNER THAT AS A RESULT OF THE GAS FLOW RESISTANCE OF SAID COLUMN SAID GAS AT ITS POINT OF INTRODUCTION INTO SAID BASE IS AT A PRESSURE AT LEAST EQUALLING SAID HIGHER PRESSURE. 